by Mike Sharkey
Staff Writer
The City is just one appeals hearing away from finally getting complete control of the old Haverty’s building at the corner of Laura and Duval streets.
For years the former department store was owned by Philip Browning, the principal owner of Atlanta-based Striton Realty.
“Browning owned the building, we condemned it and a judge ruled that we owned it,” said Mayor John Peyton. “It’s done. We own it.” Close.
According to an attorney with Smith, Hulsey & Busey — the firm retained by the City to handle the case due to a conflict of interest — there will be an appeals hearing in November during which a judge will hear the final pleadings of both the City and Browning.
Browning and the City have been involved in long-term negotiations for the building — which the City plans to convert into an annex to City Hall —with the main sticking point always revolving around the price Browning was asking and the price the City was willing to pay. Browning’s original asking price was $5.5 million for the 61,000-square-foot building while the City countered with an appraiser-based offer of $1.98 million. Eventually the issue wound up in court before an administrative judge. That judge ruled that a $1.8 million settlement for the building was fair. However, Browning has appealed that decision to the First District Court of Appeals in Tallahassee, which will preside over the case in November.
Peyton took a tour of the building Wednesday.
“It needs a lot of work, but it’s in a great location because it is so close to City Hall,” said Peyton, adding it will be a challenging building to renovate because of its structural design and columns.
Architectural firm Rink Reynolds Diamond Fisher & Wilson has been hired to create and implement a design.
“I am sure that Jack Diamond and his team will present us with a good plan,” said Peyton. “We will start as soon as we get the plans. We should have conceptual drawings in about six weeks.”
According to Peyton, the renovations will take about two years. Once completed, his plan is to move the Planning Department and the Jacksonville Economic Development Commission into the building. Currently, the Planning Department is scattered throughout several buildings around downtown and the JEDC is in the City Hall Annex on Bay Street.
“Those two functions of City government are of great value and need to be closer to the administration and City Council,” said Peyton. He said that with the new garage that is accompanying the new Main Library, there will be plenty of parking near City Hall for employees.
The City also is in the process of acquiring the Ed Ball Building on Hogan Street to consolidate even more government offices. Peyton said the Ed Ball Building is under contract. The idea of slowly moving City offices and employees closer to City Hall, according to Peyton, is actually the culmination of a plan created years ago by former Mayor Ed Austin.
“Building the critical mass of government in the core of downtown is key to revitalization,” said Peyton, adding that having so many more City employees in the downtown core will be great for area merchants.
Obtaining and filling both the Haverty’s and Ed Ball buildings will help the City empty out the current Annex. That, in turn, will allow the City to put the property on the market for the private sector to develop and put back on the tax rolls.